Leaders of Maryland’s Democratic party urged Prince George’s County residents to vote at the opening of the Maryland Democratic Coordinated Campaign headquarters in Upper Marlboro Saturday.
At the opening event, multiple state and federal Democratic nominees and elected officials encouraged voters to canvass for Democratic nominee Wes Moore.
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said Democratic voters can’t be comfortable just yet despite Moore’s 97 percent chance of winning, according to FiveThirtyEight polls. Some people hope Democrats will sit at home instead of vote, Alsobrooks said.
Alsobrooks is hoping to see a “mandate type of vote” for Moore – an election with a large margin of victory that could allow the Democratic party to govern in a way they have “never seen before,” she said.
“Remember it’s by a mandate,” Alsobrooks said. “Not by a little bit, not by middle bit, we want to make sure we blow the doors off of this.”
[Wes Moore wins Democratic nomination for Maryland governor]
Maryland Democratic Chair Yvette Lewis said a mandate-type election could leave less room for Republicans to question the legitimacy of election results. However, Republican nominee Dan Cox has already filed a motion to prohibit mail-in ballots to be counted before election day, which could delay the election results to December or January.
Democrats in Maryland’s General Assembly have overridden multiple of Gov. Larry Hogan’s vetoes for laws to expand abortion access, create a family paid leave program and more this past legislative session.
Moore’s agenda aims for free preschool, public transportation improvements, quality child care and investments in apprenticeships.
Moore emphasized that text messaging or putting yard signs in neighbor’s yards could not only change the election but Maryland’s future.
“Take these next 51 days, and wake up seriously,” Moore said. “Every single morning, wake up and know that that door you’re going to knock on could be the door that could turn this election.”
[Prince George’s County to enforce curfew for all minors starting this weekend]
Maryland Democrats also held a canvassing event Saturday to encourage Prince George’s County residents to vote.
“This is serious,” Lewis said. “This is real because what’s waiting for us on the other side is something that will change our state, and we may never get it back.”
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) said if Democrats win the gubernatorial seat, he believes Moore will help the state when it’s in need, unlike Hogan, who used federal money to expand Wi-Fi access in homes instead of state funds and refused to release funds for nurse practitioners to perform abortions in the state.
“We’ve got a big fight on our hands,” Van Hollen said.
